From a facsimile course with Philip Thorby at Burton Manor some years ago!
by Anne Clements
First choose your clef (let others have C4),
Tune up, find starting note (of this be sure)
Then check for ligatures – it’s worth the cost
Of effort here, to save you getting lost.
There’s nothing to it: if the thing’s a pes,
(at least, if you’d believe what Philip says)
The notes mean just the same as you’d expect…
So long as nothing’s there to imperfect.
The problems really start when you’ve a clivis:
Remember, an oblique must end in brevis.
If tail is up, you have two semibreves.
When you’ve learnt that, it really only leaves
The breves, the ligatures’ interpolation,
Imperfect time and minor coloration…
And all the rests and clefs, the notes and dots,
And how to tell the goodies from the blots –
Amazingly, if you will persevere,
The music’s your reward for all to hear.
Anne Clements
First published in February 2014 Newsletter
